To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act to extend through 2018 the authority of the Federal Election Commission to impose civil money penalties on the basis of a schedule of penalties established and published by the Commission, to expand such authority to certain other violations, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3487) to amend the Federal Election Campaign Act to extend through 2018 the authority of the Federal Election Commission to impose civil money penalties on the basis of a schedule of penalties established and published by the Commission, to expand such authority to certain other violations, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise in support of H.R. 3487, reauthorizing the Federal Election Commission's Administrative Fines Program. This program, which was established in the year 2000, provides the FEC with a consistent, transparent process for determining and administering fines for campaign finance reporting violations primarily related to late or incomplete filings with the Commission. It also provides filers with an inexpensive and efficient alternative to full investigations and enforcement proceedings to resolve very minor filing violations.

Using a public formula that takes multiple factors into consideration, like length of delay and repeat offenses, the FEC's program simply assesses the appropriate fines associated with a minor violation.

For example, if a Political Action Committee or Federal candidate files their quarterly expenditures 24 hours past the submission deadline, the Administrative Fines Program will automatically determine the financial penalty using its formula and then send a notification. If there is no dispute, the fine is just simply paid.

H.R. 3487 also expands this successful program to include reports filed by other types of organizations if the FEC's commissioners adopt a formula of fines for them. This effective program saves the agency, filers, and taxpayers money. However, without this bill, the program will expire on December 31 of this year.

With that, I certainly want to thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Brady) as well as the other members of our committee, the House Administration Committee, for their support of this bill. And I would urge my colleagues to support this reauthorization.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I would just close by saying that, as a former secretary of state from the great State of Michigan and a former chief elections officer of my State, I think this is a very commonsense, cost-efficient, cost-effective program. It has worked very, very well for the agency, for the FEC, and certainly for filers as well as taxpayers.

I would urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3487 and reauthorize the Federal Election Commission's Administrative Fine Program.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3487, a bill to reauthorize the Federal Election Commission's Administrative Fines Program through 2018.

This program allows the FEC to streamline ``straightforward disclosure violations'' and enact a penalty. Since its introduction in 1999, the AFP has improved the enforcement process, decreased late filings, and assessed over $4 million in fines. Reauthorizing the AFP program is a reasonable and appropriate step.

The FEC is a small agency charged with the monumental task of overseeing the massive, complex, and eroding campaign funding system. In the wake of Citizens United, we need them more than ever. Instead, the agency has been mired in partisan games, distracting it from important functions such as conducting audits or issuing regulations, advisory opinions, and enforcement actions. But now, with a new, confirmed full slate of commissioners, I look forward to the agency moving ahead and returning to its core duties instead of the partisan squabble of the past.

Even though my Republican colleagues and I don't always see eye-to- eye on these campaign finance issues, we all agree that the AFP program has been successful. I am very proud to stand with Chairman Miller on this issue.

I urge all Members to support H.R. 3487. I urge an ``aye'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of H.R. 3487, which was received from the House and is at the desk.

I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read three times and passed, that the motion to reconsider be made, and laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate.